There's been something on my mind that I've been thinking a lot about lately. It's an issue that I know everyone has experienced some point in life, and is probably still experiencing now, whether you have experienced it through others, or most likely have partaken in many many times yourself. And by it, I am talking about gossip. 



Now let me first say that gossip isn't a new concept to me. Growing up, I can recount countless occasions where I have been around it, from the lunchroom gossip about what so-and-so did at school to even in my own home when my mom would return from her daily walk with the other neighborhood moms and indulge the rest of my family with the new up-to-date happenings of our neighbors and their children.

Gossip is funny thing. We all know that it's bad, that's it's hurtful, yet it is so tempting, so easy, to let the words roll off our tongues. I know this from first-hand experience. Unfortunately, many first-hand experiences as of late. Which I guess is why it's been on my mind a lot recently.

Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear. - Ephesians 4:29.

This verse is a piece of wisdom that has spoken a lot of truth to me. Gossip is nothing more than empty words, loud chatter that clutters our mind. Oftentimes we don't realize how much influence our words can have. Instead of using words to break others down, we should be focusing on using them in a way that is empowering. Picking and choosing what comes out of our mouths so that we can harness the power and influence behind our words to build one another up.

I know that this won't be a flip of the switch mentality. I know that it will be difficult and that there will be times when even my own friends will encourage me to gossip, but I want to challenge myself everyday to live my life in a way that I am loving others. So this is my first step.

This past week has been hell for me. Never have I ever been so stressed out to the point of not being able to sleep well. And that's saying a lot for me, because I sleep well.

You know how there are things and situations in life that you just know could never happen to you? I mean, they happen to other people, but not you, because you're smarter than that, you're better than that, you're more careful than them... No, it couldn't ever happen to me. What a preposterous suggestion. Yet, this past week I found myself in a position that I never thought I would have gotten myself into. I wasn't smarter than that, better than that, more careful than them, it could happen to me. 

Note to self, I don't ever want to put myself in this kind of situation ever again. Learn from your mistakes, Amanda.

If you worship money and things — if they are where you tap real meaning in life — then you will never have enough. Never feel you have enough. It’s the truth. Worship your own body and beauty and sexual allure and you will always feel ugly, and when time and age start showing, you will die a million deaths before they finally plant you. On one level, we all know this stuff already — it’s been codified as myths, proverbs, clichés, bromides, epigrams, parables: the skeleton of every great story. The trick is keeping the truth up-front in daily consciousness. Worship power — you will feel weak and afraid, and you will need ever more power over others to keep the fear at bay. Worship your intellect, being seen as smart — you will end up feeling stupid, a fraud, always on the verge of being found out. And so on.

Do you have a dream job?

No, I don't mean that high-paying six-figure position that you imagine landing right after graduation that will send you all around the world while working you 80 hours a week to death. No, not the job that will make the best use of your college-degree that you selected to pursue in the first place because it had the highest return on investment according to Business Week.

I mean a dream job. A job that you could imagine yourself doing the rest of your life... with a smile. A job that you could wake up for excited... every single day.

Well I have one. My dream job would be to be an international food blogger. To travel the world and explore different cultures and traditions through their food. Food is something that is part of everyone's day (3 times a day!), yet it is also an experience that is so unique to each individual, which is what I find fascinating. So I guess my next question to myself is, how do I mesh together my love for food, travel, and exploring with my studies in science and engineering? Hmm..

Meanwhile, here's some food for thought (haha get it!) about how food and culture relate: http://ideas.ted.com/2014/12/18/what-americans-can-learn-from-other-food-cultures/